Ethical Manifesto

Environmental

I believe that your private life should mirror your business values otherwise it is surely hypocritical. Before launching this business I decided to become a Body Shop consultant as my values aligned with their Mission Statement. It opens with the commitment, ‘To dedicate our business to the pursuit of social and environmental change.’ My commitment to the environment is shown by :

• Running the business from home, therefore keeping the vehicle off the road and car sharing if possible when a vehicle is required
  
• Reserving energy by turning the computer off when not in use and using energy efficient bulbs in the workplace
  
• Supporting the community by using local suppliers for web hosting and printing
  
• Recycling of business and household materials
• Using recycled art paper for portrait commissions
  
• Buying ethical and fair trade products whenever possible
  

Political

I will not deal with any business or company with links to repressive regimes or who advocate mistreatment of human beings or animals

I will not appear to support any particular political party or exclude anyone because of their political beliefs

Moral

My whole company ethic is built around offering clear, simple and easy to use solutions to customers. I strive to keep the "main thing the main thing" which means stripping away clutter and unnecessary content in web designs. I have developed web building skills so each website looks the same whichever browser is being used and can also be interpreted by assistive technologies for disabled users

I believe in being open, fair and honest as an individual and in business. I always pay my suppliers on time have and no hidden small print. I always aim to provide excellent after sales service and build excellent rapport with clients

I will not deal with companies that deal with animal testing, blood sports, the fur trade or the arms trade

Equality

I believe that anyone should be able to use my websites, regardless of business size, age, colour, disability, sexual orientation or gender. I therefore follow Web 2.0 and Accessibility guidelines outlined below in order to provide this service

Web 2.0 guidelines :

• Simplicity
• separate top sections
• solid areas content
• simple navigation
• bold logos
• bigger text
• bold text introductions
• strong colours
• realistic effects
• gradients
• reflections
• cute icons

I am very passionate about accessibility. I aim to follow the standards set out by W3C (World Wide Web Consortium). These include :

• separation of style and content
• provide text equivalents of non-text content
• don't rely on colour alone
• ensure XHTML or HTML and CSS is written correctly
• identify changes in language
• avoid tables to layout information
• ensure pages work if technologies switched off
• don't use fast moving objects
• design for device-independence eg mouse, keyboard, voice recognition software etc
• ensure readable by older browsers
• use W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) technologies and guidelines
• provide clear navigation
• ensure documents are clear and simple
• text and images are enlargable so it is easier for users with poor sight
• pages are coded so users can navigate with a keyboard alone
• videos are subtitled or a sign language version is available
• flashing effects are avoided or added as an option with a warning
  

Pricing Policy

• In line with my beliefs on fairness and treating everyone equal I have displayed my web design prices on my website. Potential customers then know that I offer the same price to everyone and it also backs up my desire to be clear and open about my business
  
• I offer competitive prices but won't participate in price wars with the competition as it goes against my principles. I think bartering for business reduces self worth and produces a lack of respect
  

Research


First Things First Manifesto - Ken Garland, 1963



Thomas Matthews




Spry Article

The key issues – global warming, consumerism, sustainability, equality, restriction of choice

Key skills in the design process include being able to conceptualise and weigh up a multi-dimensional problem, consider scenarios of use, think laterally and creatively, evaluate ideas, and communicate effectively. As society’s needs become more sophisticated, people want to do and achieve more, and a larger population has access to more of society’s resources, designerly thinking will become even more important as a skill for anticipating and working through problems and opportunities.

“For designers to be more effective at ensuring that their skills are applied to products that actually make a difference to people’s lives they would do well do understand better the world around us, from a political, business, social trends, economic, and technological perspective.”

To achieve this, we need to take users seriously and not impose our perceptions, values or prejudices on them, and treat them as robust individuals needing effective and satisfying design solutions, while critically assessing what they tell us. As Malcolm Garrett – speaking at SuperHumanism – put it, we should “use our intelligence as designers so that people can use theirs.”

Co-operative Bank